This is War
by Janice93
Summary: "This means war. Me versus you. No limits." Blair's POV of the last scene between CB in Season 4, episode 4. Also, Blair's talk with Serena after Chuck declared war. No spoilers. One-shot. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This week's episode of GG is depressing. I hate to see Chuck and Blair standing on opposite side, even though it would make things a lot more interesting. They always work best together, don't you think? Well, now that the UES is divided into two sides, which side are you on? I'm definitely on Team Blair, by the way. I thought that Chuck was taking things a little too far. He definitely hurt Blair, despite Blair's insistent that she didn't Chuck anymore. Even if she didn't, that doesn't mean she's completely over him. That's what I thought, anyway. And why I wrote this. Enjoy. :)**

* * *

"No Dan?" Blair asked as she walked into the room. "In the dress? I'm shocked."

Serena gave a small forced laugh.

"Yeah, I guess it's for the best. I mean, if I end up with Dan, a part of me will always love Nate. If I end up with Nate, a part of me will always love Dan, so I don't know. I guess I just need to find someone who gives me what I get from both of them."

"That's a mature decision." Blair said, giving a few nods as she considered Serena's decision.

"Not sure I have made any of my own in a while." Blair added, as she considered the last decision she'd made.

She had truly thought that Eva was not good for Chuck. It ended terribly the last time Chuck had opened his heart. What made it worse was, she had encouraged Chuck to do so. It felt worse knowing that she had helped Evelyn hurt Chuck. The night where Evelyn left, Chuck had returned to her with the most heart-wrenching look on his face. That night, as she silently held Chuck, she vowed to never let something like that happen again.

That was why she had wanted Chuck to break up with Eva. Blair was certain that Eva would break his heart, like what his mother did. He _was _Chuck Bass, after all. People wanted to get close to him for all sorts of reason. Why would Eva be any different? Just because Chuck was blinded by love, it didn't mean she had to be. So she did what she had to. She snooped around, she schemed. But when even the shocking fact that his innocent and sweet girlfriend was a prostitute proved to be quite futile in her efforts to sabotage their relationship, Blair knew she had to stoop lower. Setting Eva up might be low, but she had no choice. It was all for a good cause, she thought as she planted Chuck's passport into Eva's bag.

However, that firm belief crumpled when she saw Chuck's face when he found the passport right where she had planted it. He was heart broken, she could tell. When he said that he was stupid for believing that anyone good could ever love him, she immediately regretted the decision of setting Eva up. She wanted to tell him that someone good could love him, _she _did. But then she remembered that she was not "good".

"What do you mean?" Serena asked, looking puzzled.

"Miss Blair, Mr. Chuck is here." Dorota announced and then left.

_He's here? Why would he be? _

Blair then turned to Serena, who gave her a small and encouraging smile. Blair then left the room.

"I know what you did, Blair." Chuck said when she descended from the stairs. "That is despicable, even for you. Do you really hate me so much you can't stand me happy?"

"No." Blair disagreed immediately, shaking her head. The last thing she wanted was for Chuck to be unhappy.

"Why did you drive the person I care most about out of town?" Chuck demanded with the darkest expression on his face.

"Eva left? Chuck, I never meant to—" Blair tried to explain.

"Make her leave me? Of course you did." Chuck accused.

"I need to know why. Is it possible…you still love me?"

For a moment, Blair could not speak, did not know how to speak. The first thing that came to her mind was that she didn't. It was what she had trained herself into thinking over the summer. Yet, in the back of her head, there was a small voice that whispered, "I don't know". Looking at Chuck now, the one man whom she had once loved, looking at her as if she was the most vile person in the world, she knew she couldn't follow her heart. So she repeated the words that she had told herself a thousand times.

"How could I still love you after what you did."

"So you did it just to hurt me." Chuck came to his conclusion.

"Eva made me into someone I was proud to be. You just brought back my worst self. This means war, Blair."

"Chuck-"

"Me versus you. No limits."

Just like that, Chuck dropped a bomb, turned his back on her and walked out of the Waldorf's penthouse. As Blair stared after his back view, she felt her chest tightened and her stomach clenched. She felt like her heart was broken into a million pieces. When he was gone, Blair ran up the stairs, needing some comfort as soon as possible.

As she stepped in Serena's room, she began to feel the sting behind her eyes. Serena said nothing as she took in her best friend's face. Blair was unsure if Serena had heard what Chuck had just said, but she knew that Serena knew she needed some comfort. That's why they were best friends. They always knew when each other needed a hug. Blair walked towards Serena's bed and into Serena's opened arms, just in time for the first sob to start.

* * *

The sobs had begun to subside after Blair told Serena what she had done.

"I should have go to you before I did something so stupid." Blair gave a sigh as she leaned into Serena's arms.

Serena was stroking her hair in slow rhythms and it was oddly comforting.

"Maybe you should have." Serena said.

Blair gave another sigh.

"What do I do now? He hates me." Blair said as she fought back another sob.

She had never seen Chuck so mad before. Not when he found out she had slept with Nate, not when he found out she had slept with his uncle, and not even when she had manipulated him into giving one of the professors in NYU a kiss. Blair closed her eyes as the memories of Chuck glaring at her returned. She knew she wouldn't be able to forget that for a long time.

"He doesn't hate you, Blair." Serena whispered. "He could never hate you. You know that. He's just mad. It was a heat of the moment."

"Didn't you hear what I said? He declared a war on me, S. This is serious. I don't know what he will do."

There was a moment of silence before Blair spoke again.

"Do you think he loves her?" Blair whispered.

She then lifted her head and looked into Serena's eyes.

"He's willing to declare a war on me for her. _Because _of her. Maybe he loves her. More than he ever did love me." Blair felt the tears filling up her eyes again.

She didn't know why, but Blair couldn't stand the thought of Chuck loving someone more than he did her. Was it plain jealousy? Or was It something more? She didn't know, but the thought of it simply tore her apart. She didn't want to be so easily replaced. They may not be together anymore, but she wanted a special place in his heart. Was it too much? She then looked down at the sheets as the tears rolled down her cheeks, trying to hide the ugly sight from her best friend.

"Oh, B." Serena said, opening her long arms and enveloping Blair. "He could never love anyone more than you. You are his first love. No one forgets their true love." Serena assured.

Blair closed her eyes again as more tears overflowed from her eyes.

"What do you do now? About the war?" Serena asked softly.

"I don't know." Blair confessed. "I will fight back if he fights. That's for sure."

Blair then pulled back from the hug.

"A Waldorf never backs down," Blair said confidently as she gave a small smile.

"And that's why I love you." Serena said, and the two best friends dissolved in laughter.

* * *

**So, Team Blair or Team Chuck? **

**Review and let me know. ;)**

**P.S Sorry if it's not good. I wrote this within 2 hours so it's kinda rushed. The feelings may not be developed properly. For that, I apologise. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So... after 9 months, here's chapter 2. It's basically Chuck's POV of the whole war. When I was writing This is war, I did think of writing a chapter from Chuck's POV, but I didn't know why exactly Chuck did what he did, and I couldn't write something I didn't know about, so I didn't. **

**Then halfway through the season, I had this theory, but had no time no write it. That's why this chapter came so late.**

**Hope you like it anyway. :) Oh, and this is just my theory. People may not agree, but drop in your theory as well?**

**This chapter is dedicated to Im Totally Bugged, who encouraged me to write. **

Chuck's POV

* * *

He didn't believe her.

Not initially. But he got to admit, when Blair said she found his passport in Eva's suitcase, his faith in Eva shook just a little. His passport was gone when he woke up in that dirty little room, and he had always assumed that the robber took it along with his ring and his wallet. There was no way that Eva could have taken it.

"That's not possible," Chuck told Blair. "When I woke up my passport was gone, the mugger took it. "

"Or evidently, she took it the night she found you. The night she makes you her mark."

Chuck searched Blair's eyes for any evidence that she was lying. But he could not tell. If only he did not tell her about the dead giveaway that her eyes did whenever she was lying. Ever since then, Blair had been practicing on her lying skills, and there were times when even Chuck could not tell if she was lying. This was one of those times.

He sneaked a glance at Eva. Eva was smiling as she listened to the brunette whom she was chatting with. She looked so kind when she smiled, and Chuck was reminded of how he thought Eva was the most naïve and innocent girl he had ever known in his life. Living on the Upper East Side, growing up under the shadow of Bart Bass, he had always been aware that people had ulterior motives with him. Whether it was because of his fame, popularity (or lack thereof), money or women, it was all the same. They stayed with Chuck Bass because he was Chuck Bass. But not Eva. Eva was different. She stayed with him before she knew she was Chuck Bass.

Or so he thought.

He darted his eyes between Eva and Blair. He did not know whom to believe in. While he believed that Eva was innocent, he did not believe that Blair would lie to him like that.

Taking one last look at Eva, Chuck walked past Blair and headed for the elevator.

He needed to see if it was true.

He was well aware of the fact that Blair was following him, but he did not care. He entered the penthouse and then into his room –_ their_ room. The room that Eva and he shared.

He opened the closet and took Eva's suitcase from the top shelf, and placed it on the bed. Digging into the front pocket, he prayed with all his heart that Blair was wrong. Eva had not known that he was Chuck Bass. That was not why she saved him. She had not stayed with him for his money.

But when his fingers touched the cool exterior of the passport, he could feel his faith in Eva dissolving. He opened the dark blue book, and there it was - His face staring right back at him.

_Charles Bartholomew Bass_

He felt like he had just been kicked in the stomach.

"I'm sorry," Blair said. "I really am. I just thought you should know."

Millions of thoughts whirled in his head, and he could feel the old Chuck Bass coming back.

The truth was, he was never Chuck Bass when he was with Eva. He was Henry Prince. Even when he lived in the Empire, even when he wore bow ties and custom made suits, he was not that heartless Chuck Bass. Henry Prince held charities, stayed sober, and was actually nice to people. Henry Prince did all kinds of things that Chuck Bass would never do. He was not Chuck Bass when he was with Eva. He was Henry Prince.

But now, he could felt the cold mask that Chuck Bass wore setting in.

Just then, the elevator rang, signaling Eva's arrival.

"Chuck, there you are," Eva said as she stepped into the room.

"I will give you two a minute," Chuck heard Blair said, her heels clicking against the floor as she left the penthouse.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Eva asked when she noticed the tense posture Chuck was standing in.

Chuck took a deep breath. There was million thoughts in his head, but there was one particular thought that stood out. And that was what he needed to do.

"You should know who I was when we met," he said coolly as he turned around.

"You know I didn't. Why are you asking me this?"

He got to hand it to her. She was unbelievably calm.

"I found my passport in your suitcase."

"What are you talking about?" She let out an exasperated sigh.

"I should have known. You lied about the watch, you lied about your former career. "

It all fitted now. The puzzle was complete. In fact, he could not believe he did not see it until now.

"Is that what you think of me?" Eva asked.

Chuck ignored her question. He continued talking.

"I told you the whole story about my mother, my uncle trying to take me, you sat there and you thought, "I'm next'."

He could not believe he almost fell into her trap, that he almost let himself became the victim again.

"I'm sorry," She apologized.

As if saying sorry would be enough.

"I'll pack my things."

He breathed out heavily.

"Only the things you came with."

He could not let her walk away with _his _money, the things _he _bought her. He would not let her succeed in her plans. _No one _could take advantage of Chuck Bass like that.

And then, before she could, he left her.

* * *

Chuck never needed a glass of scotch so badly.

He felt dizzy from the weight of emotions he was feeling, and he clutched the curtains that were at the entrance of the bar to steady himself. He felt Blair coming up behind him.

"Are you okay?" She asked, her voice full of concern.

"I was stupid," He told her in full honesty. "How can I ever believe that anyone good could love me?"

He was the devil. Always had been, always will be. Living under a fake name did not change that. He had forgotten that good was the opposite of bad, and he was the worst person he knew. Anyone good repelled away from him naturally.

Pushing himself off the wall, he walked into the bar, and signaled to the bartender for his drink. As he should, the bartender knew that Chuck Bass drank scotch, and scotch only. When his drink was delivered, Chuck sat at the bar, allowing the familiar taste of the alcohol to comfort him as he allowed the past to haunt his mind. The face of Eva he came to when he first woke up in that filthy bed; The way her face lit up whenever he came home; The way she accepted who he was without even hesitating.

He almost could not believe it was all an act.

"Charles," Lily said, alerting Chuck of her presence. "Thank you for a lovely evening. I am so proud of you and I have Ivan put your things in your room."

"What things?"

"The package from the Paris police. Your personal things, passport. What they sent last week."

The instant he heard the word "passport", he knew he made a mistake. A grave mistake.

He just hoped it was not too late to correct the mistake and minimized the consequences to the minimum.

* * *

When he reached his room, he found Eva frantically packing.

"Eva, stop it," Chuck said, his words rushing. "I'm so sorry, I should never have doubted you, I made a terrible mistake."

"You did, and thank you for saying so," Eva said, her hands never halting.

Chuck grabbed her arm, spinning her around so they were face to face.

"Look, you are pure and perfect. I will make this up to you, I promise."

"Chuck, I have to go," Eva said as she pushed past him.

"Look, you don't," Chuck tried again. "Blair set us up, I know better now."

"Blair's a liar. But you chose to believe her. You are still connected to her. I can see it when you are together, I can… feel it when you are in the room."

"So let's go away!" Chuck was desperate. Anything to make Eva stay. "Just you and me. Just go back to Paris, wherever you want. Right now."

Chuck tried to reach out to her again, but Eva stepped out of his reach.

"You will always feel the pull to New York. This is your home," Eva sighed heavily.

She began packing again.

"And now it's turn for me to return to mine."

"Don't leave," Chuck was close to pleading Eva now, but he did not care. She was his last hope. "Everybody leaves."

His mother, his dad, _her. _

For a moment, Eva just stood there, facing him with her bag in her hand. For a moment, he thought perhaps she was going to stay.

Then she sighed, and he knew her decision then.

"You're Chuck Bass. That means something different now. Don't forget it," She reminded him. "And don't forget me," She added, before placing a lingering kiss on his cheek.

Chuck breathed in her scent when she leaned close. He was going to miss her. He was already missing her. The kiss just made it all the more worse.

After Eva left, Chuck just stood there in the room, trying to take in any evident differences. Eva stayed in the room with him for over a month. Yet, when she left, she did not leave any traces behind. The room did not remind him of its previous female tenant. It reminded him of…

Chuck shut his eyes tight as memories flooded his brain. The summer together with Eva in Paris did nothing to alter his memory. It was still as clear as ever. Her face, her skin, her _touch. _Now that Eva was gone, the room was filled with _her. _She was everywhere. She was on the bed, seducing him to ravish her; She was standing in front of the mirror, admiring the way the dress hugged her hips; She was in front of him, kissing his lips softly, whispering in his ears that she loved him. He clenched his fists tight as the aching pain from his chest spread. He once thought that after three months, perhaps the pain would fade away, but it was as strong as ever. It hurt as much as that very first day. Now that Eva was gone, he was left alone with no one to distract him from to the mess that he had made in May. He could not avoid it anymore.

Chuck knew that Eva was right. He was still connected to Blair. He could feel it when he saw her on the streets of Paris, and then again when Blair persuaded him to come back to New York. That was the only reason why he returned to New York. There was a… pull. And that was where Eva had been wrong. The pull was not towards New York. It was to Blair. Maybe he could keep running if he had never talk to her, if he had pretended that he had not seen her on the streets of Paris, if he had ignored the pull he felt. But Blair had asked him to return home. And there was not a single thing he would not do for her. For god's sake, he was willing to take a bullet in his stomach for her.

He thought about what Eva said. Why did he choose to believe Blair over Eva, his girlfriend? Blair was manipulative, scheming and had a history of lying straight to his face. Why _did _he still take her words for it?

Did he still… love her?

A fresh wave of pain started again, and he shook his head, unwillingly to believe that he would still love her. The thought of it was too much to bear. He knew there was no chance of them getting back together the day Blair had shouted at him at the hotel's lobby to never talk to her again. He had told himself to start afresh in Pairs, to start a new relationship. A real one this time. There was no games, no scheming. And for a while, he considered living a life with Eva for the rest of his life. If he had any other chance of being together with someone other than Blair, then that person would be Eva. Eva was the one person he knew who was not connected to his old life.

Now that Eva was gone, he briefly considered what his future would be. Alone and miserable? He chuckled silently. Sounded exactly like the life Chuck Bass would live. Then he thought about why Blair had did what she did. He knew that they had their past, but they grew up together. They never planted against each other. They dug up something, and blackmailed each other, but they never made up something on their own. Maybe they would do that to the other low lives out there, but never to each other. In a way, that was how they played fair. There were unspoken limits, and she had broken one. Did Blair hate Eva to the extent that she could not stand to have her around? No, not possible. Eva did nothing to Blair. It got nothing to do with Eva. Or did Blair simply hate him? Maybe Blair had never let go of the fact that he had slept with her frenemy. Maybe this was some form of payback. Blair could not stand to see him happy after destroying their relationship single-handedly. If that was so, he would really like to congratulate her. She had succeeded. Things seemed so bleak right now. He could not fathom any happiness in the near future.

Then he thought about the other possibility. The one small hope that maybe… just maybe…

Shaking his head, Chuck headed towards the elevator. He needed some answers, and he was going to get them tonight. He would not do this to himself. He would not be having different guesses, only to bring his hopes up, and had them dashed. He was past all these. He needed to ask her directly, so that he could solve the mystery.

* * *

When the elevator reached the lobby, he stride across it, until he reached the limousine that was waiting upfront for him. He was thankful that he had the senses to not dismiss Arthur for the day just yet.

"Good evening, Mr Bass," Arthur greeted him in the rearview mirror when Chuck climbed into the backseat.

"To the Waldorf's penthouse," Chuck ordered.

He leaned back, and took in the street views of Manhattan as the car started moving, with only one thought in his mind.

He was going to ask Blair Waldorf if she still loved him.

"I need to see Blair," Chuck said when Dorota came hurrying out to investigate the identity of the late visitor.

Dorota gave a quick nod and hurried up the stairs.

While waiting for Blair, Chuck paced around in the foyer. There were so many questions that he wanted to ask her, some which he may not have the courage to listen the answer to. Or even asked.

Eva was the only chance he had at happiness after Blair, and she forced her out of town. If she wanted him to be miserable for the rest of his life, then well, he would not let her have her happily ever after too, he decided.

When Blair finally descended from the stairs, Chuck jumped straight to the point.

"I know what you did, Blair."

Then, before she had any chance to explain, Chuck continued.

"That is despicable, even for you. Do you really hate me so much you can't stand me happy?"

"No," Blair said, shaking her head.

Chuck could not believe she had the nerve to deny.

"Then why did you drive the person I care most about out of town?" Chuck asked.

"Eva left? Chuck, I never meant to—"

"Make her leave me? Of course you did."

Why else would she plant the passport in Eva's bag then? Why else would she want him to believe Eva was only after him for his money?

Unless…

"I need to know why," Chuck said. He took a deep breath. "Is it possible…you still love me?"

That was it. The question which he barely have the courage to ask, but knew he needed the answer to.

Chuck could see Blair searching the answer in her mind. Perhaps she was asking herself the same question.

Did she still love him? After what he did?

"How could I still love you after what you did," Blair answered, her voice cold and hard.

It was the answer he had expected. But that did not mean it hurt any less.

"So you did it just to hurt me."

Through all these years, yes, there were times where Blair had hurt him. But never did he thought that Blair would hurt him _intentionally. _Even if they were not lovers, even if they were not even friends, they were… _something. _Something special, he would like to believe. Obviously, it was his one-sided wishful thinking.

"Eva made me into someone I was proud to be. You just brought back my worst self."

Blair had bought Chuck Bass back, like she wanted to back in Paris. If it was a Chuck Bass she wanted, it was a Chuck Bass that she would get.

"This means war, Blair."

"Chuck-" Blair tried to explain.

"Me versus you. No limits."

He would not go soft on her. Not this time.

* * *

Reviews are great!


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